Mac only: If you find yourself starting up applications and resetting specific preferences every time you move to a new location, free app Airport Location automates the process, taking snapshots of your set-up and linking it to nearby wireless networks.

Lots of laptop users have different workspaces for different things. For example, you may want a certain set of applications and preferences when you're at the library, where you need to buckle down and work, and a completely different set for when you go to your friend's house to play games. Constantly setting up your digital workspace can be tiresome, and we've discussed at length ways to customize your set-up by location with apps like previously mentioned MarcoPolo, Home and Away, and Proximity. Airport Location, however, takes it a step further by automating the entire process.

Click to viewThe sci-fi dork future has long promised a world of computer interaction and…
Read more Read more

Instead of manually entering all the settings you want for any given location, you can just set up your digital workspace as you like it and take a snapshot. The next time you arrive at this location, Airport Location will start up that snapshot's applications and set things like brightness, printer, BlueTooth, and volume just as you had them last time you were there. You can even have it run certain shell scripts, AppleScripts, and Automator workflows if the built-in settings aren't enough. You can also link a snapshot to multiple locations, as well as link snapshots to locations and notes in iCal events. If you like to take advantage of your laptop's portability, Airport Location can definitely make your life less tedious.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Airport Location is a free download, Mac only. It has been tested and reported running on 10.6 Snow Leopard. Previous versions are untested but may work, so if you are running Leopard, let us know if it works in the comments.